Window operating mechanism



June 30, 1964 R. HAY

WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 12, 1962 United States Patent 3,139,276 WINDOW OPERATlNG MECHANISM Ronald Hay, Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia (20 Grey St., South Caulfield, Victoria, Australia) Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 179,103 Claims priority, application Australia Mar. 24, 1961 3 Claims. (Cl. 268-108) This invention relates to operating mechanisms for the opening or closing of windows of the casement or awning type. The known type of window opening mechanism including and operated by a worm driving a toothed rack cut upon the window stay, included with said mechanisms, has proven'to be unsatisfactory owing to the fragile construction and non-positive action. In another known type of said mechanisms comprising a sprocket operated by a chain, failure occurs when the chain is subjected to strain resultingin the pitch of the chain being varied.

It is the principal object of this invention to avoid or reduce to a minimum the above mentioned disadvantages by the provision of an improved window operating mechanism which will function effectively whether fitted to the sill of a casement window or an awning type window.

With the above stated principal object in view there is provided according to the invention an improved window operating mechanism for opening or closing windows of the type herein specified comprising a housing attached to the window sill, a screw and sleeve connection mounted for relative angularmovement in the housing,'a window stay having one end mounted in the housing for angular movement and the other end pivotally connected to the frame of the window, the screw and sleeve connection being pivotally connected to the window stay intermediate the ends of the latter, whereby the permissible angular movement of the screw and sleeve connection and window stay is such thatthe latter can angularly move through one plane for the operation of a casement window, or through intersecting planes for the operation of an awning type window in response to rotation of one'of the components of said connection.

In the application of the window operating mechanism or opener to a casement type window, the stay will move angularly through a horizontal plane, however when the window opener is applied to an awning type window the stay will move angularly through intersecting horizontal and vertical planes in moving the window.

It is a feature. of the invention that the housingis constructed so that the mechanism can be assembled in a manner suitable for the operation of either a right hand opening or left hand opening casement window.

One practical arrangement of the invention will now be described in relation to an operating mechanism fitted to an awning type window, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general plan view of the operating mechanism mounted upon a window sill with the window in the closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation showing the housingof the operating mechanism mounted upon a window sill between the window and a wire screen.

FIGURE 3 is an inverted plan view of the housing with thebottom plate and one half of the split ball bearing removed whilst the window is in the closed position.

FIGURE 4 is an inverted plan View as in FIGURE 3 with the window in the open position.

FIGURE 5 is an inverted plan view of the bottom plate of the housing.

FIGURE 6 is a cut-away end view of the housing whilst the window is in the closed position.

FIGURE 7 is a cut-away view as in FIGURE 6 but with the window in theopen position.

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FIGURE 8 is a view of one hemispherical half ofthe split ball bearing.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the sliding end fitting of the operating stay with the window in the closed position.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view as in FIGURE 9 with the window in the open position.

FIGURE 11 is an elevation of the stay pivot bearing.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a housing 1 is shown screwed to the window sill '2 between the window frame 3 and the insect screen 4 with a window stay 5 connected at one end within the housing and at the other end to the window frame by means of a sliding bearing 5a operating in a channel or track 6. An operating handle 7 is fitted to one end of a screwed sleeve 8 protruding from the housing 1 through an aperture 9 in the frame of the insect screen 4 as shown in FIGURE 2.

The housing 1 has a removable base plate 10 shown in FIGURE 5 and secured to the housing by a pair of screws passed through the screw holes 11.

Two opposite side of thehousing 1 provide apertures through which a screw and sleeve assembly is mounted as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein the screw 12 can be moved in the threaded sleeve 8 in response to the rotation of the operating handle 7 which is keyed at one end of the sleeve whilst at the opposite end there is provided a collar 14. I

A bearing 15 is fitted within the housing 1 and comprises a pair of hemispherical halves one of which is shown in detail in FIGURE 8.

Each half of the bearing has a groove 13 which in the assembled bearing receives the collar 14 on the sleeve for the purpose of retaining the latter within the housing whilst the assembled bearing 15 is retained in a substantially spherical cavity formed when the base plate is assembled upon the housing.

The outer end of the screw 12 is provided with a clevis which is pivotally connected to the window stay 5 by a clevis pin 16.

The stay 5 is pivotally connected to the housing by means of a bearing shown in detail in FIGURE 11, the latter comprising a transverse pin pressed through a hole in the stay and formed with two hemispherical ends 17. The ends 17 are received and retained within the housing by one of two pair of substantially hemispherical recesses 18 and 19 formed in the housing. and the base plate 10. Both the housing and the'base plate are of symmetrical form so that the entire operating mechanism can be assembled to suit either left hand or right hand operation simply by selecting the appropriate pair of recesses, that is 18 or 19, for the assembly of the stay bearing 15'. Y i

To change a right handed assembly over to a left handed assembly only, requires that the base plate 10 be unscrewed and the stay bearing 17 turned over and moved to the opposite pair of bearing recesses.

The channel or track 6 shown in FIGURES l and 2 is screwed to the window frame 3 and receives a sliding bearing or shoe 5:; pivotally connected to the end of the stay remote from the housing.

The shoe 5a shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 is pivoted for movement in both horizontal and vertical planesby pins 2%) and 21, the outer section of the shoe 5a being widened to a size complementary to the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the track 5 so that the shoe will be retained in engagement with the track at all times during the operation of the window.

The shoe is introduced into the track from one end prior to the fitting of the track end fittings shown in FIG- URE 1.

In operation, the rotation of handle 7 will cause the screw 12 to commence to emerge from the sleeve g from the closed position as in FIGURE 3 until the position to the point B therein.

As the outward movement of the screw and stay progresses the lower frame section of the awning type window will move radially about its upwardly situated hinges out of the normally horizontal plane in which the stay is located when the window is closed.

As the outward movement of the window progresses the change of plane of the stay is accommodated by the pins 20 and 21 in the shoe, the spherical bearing in the housing and the stay bearing therein.

The angular disposition of the screw and sleeve assembly in relation to the sill can be seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 which show the extent of angular movement of the said assembly between the windowv closed and the window open position.

The track'end fittings shown in FIGURE 1 are screwed to theframe of the window and have an extension or tongue section which fits neatly into the end of the track to retain the latter in position. v r

In an alternate construction eachtrack end fitting has a spring loaded retractable tongue section which can be withdrawn from engagement with the track whilst the fitting is screwed to the window frame. i This type of end fitting permits the track to be readily disconnected from the window frame to allow the window to be moved to a fully open position to facilitate cleaning of the window.

It will be understood that in the case of a casement window, as distinct from the awning type window herein described the stay will move in one plane only, that is, a horizontal plane.

The operating handle upon the sleeve can be replaced by a ratchet mechanism should it be found necessary to obtain a greater purchase upon the screw such as may be required for the operation of heavy industrial windows,

or a cord or sprocket and chain can be fitted for remote shown in the drawings associated with the above description.

I claim:

1. Improved window operating mechanism for opening or closing both a window closure swingable about a horizontal as well as a window closure swingable about a vertical axis, said operating mechanism comprising a housing adapted to be attached to a window frame, a screw and sleeve connection having a mounting thereon mounted in said housing for relativeuniversal pivoting movement in the housing, a window'stay having one end pivotally mounted in the housing for angular movement and the other end having a universal joint thereon for pivotally connecting the stay to the window closure, the screw and sleeve connection being pivotally connected to the Window stay intermediate the ends of the latter, said mounting for the screw and sleeve connection comprising a ball com- .prised of'a pair of hemispherical members coaxial with the screw and sleeve connection, and said housing having a complemental spherical recess therein in which said ball is retained, whereby the permissible angular movement of the screw and sleeve connection and window stay is such that the window stay can move angularly in one plane for the operation of a vertically pivoted windowclosure, and can also move in intersecting planes for the operation of a horizontally pivoted window closure in response to r0tation of one of the components of said screw and sleeve connection.

2. A window operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve of said connection is longitudinally disposed and retained within the hemispherical members of said ball and has means thereon for manual rotation,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,144 ORourke Sept. 12, 1916 1,902,266 Ripp Mar. 21, 1933 Burress Dec. 15, 1953 

1. IMPROVED WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM FOR OPENING OR CLOSING BOTH A WINDOW CLOSURE SWINGABLE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AS WELL AS A WINDOW CLOSURE SWINGABLE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID OPERATING MECHANISM COMPRISING A HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO A WINDOW FRAME, A SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION HAVING A MOUNTING THEREON MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR RELATIVE UNIVERSAL PIVOTING MOVEMENT IN THE HOUSING, A WINDOW STAY HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT AND THE OTHER END HAVING A UNIVERSAL JOINT THEREON FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE STAY TO THE WINDOW CLOSURE, THE SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE WINDOW STAY INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LATTER, SAID MOUNTING FOR THE SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION COMPRISING A BALL COMPRISED OF A PAIR OF HEMISPHERICAL MEMBERS COAXIAL WITH THE SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION, AND SAID HOUSING HAVING A COMPLEMENTAL SPHERICAL RECESS THEREIN IN WHICH SAID BALL IS RETAINED, WHEREBY THE PERMISSIBLE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF THE SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION AND WINDOW STAY IS SUCH THAT THE WINDOW STAY CAN MOVE ANGULARLY IN ONE PLANE FOR THE OPERATION OF A VERTICALLY PIVOTED WINDOW CLOSURE, AND CAN ALSO MOVE IN INTERSECTING PLANES FOR THE OPERATION OF A HORIZONTALLY PIVOTED WINDOW CLOSURE IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF SAID SCREW AND SLEEVE CONNECTION. 